The Outcast King
Author: Nightstar Fury of Nightstar Productions.
Rated: M for Mature
Disclaimer: I do not own Dreamworks Dragons or HTTYD. Though I wish I did :p Oh! And I don't own any of the songs used in the story, all songs and lyrics belong to their original artists and creators!
*A/N: Okay to give you the opening scene. Think back to the first HTTYD movie and stop where Astrid finds Hiccup in the cove with Toothless and runs off to tell his father what Hiccup had done.*
Chapter 1: Discovered
"Leaving. We're leaving. Lets pack up. You and me are taking a little vacation...forever." The auburn hair boy called out entering the cove with the basket over his shoulder. He dropped it and sighed heavily opening it to check if he had everything he needed. He couldn't believe it had come to this, running away because he did the most unforgivable thing in Viking history. He befriended a dragon and not only that but he learned to ride one. His green eyes scanned the area, he saw the dragon laying in the shade of a small cave on the other side of the cove.
This dragon was not like the others, this was a Night Fury. The most elusive, lethal dragon known to man because of its precision blasts, speed, and capability to blend in with the night sky making it a harder target. No one in the village had ever captured one or even got close to it. He sighed adjusting his riding harness, the one thing he hoped wouldn't happen had happened. He was selected to kill his first dragon in front of the entire village because he was top of his dragon killing class. Everyone believed he was this great dragon tamer because he could subdue the dragons they faced with tactics other than killing them. And all of it was thanks to Toothless, his Night Fury.
Oh yes it was true. He befriended this dragon, this Night Fury. The two of them had a bond, an unspoken one between them. They understood one another. Hiccup sighed heavily once more before hearing the sound of metal scraping, being sharpened. He knew this sound, he was a blacksmith apprentice and he worked with it a lot. His green eyes snapped up seeing his crush, another student in the class sitting atop a large rock sharpening her ax with rock. "As–Astrid! What are...what are you doing here?" Hiccup asked nervously.
"I want to know what's going on." She stated simply dropping the rock and jumping off the rock in front of him holding her ax up. "No one just gets as good as you. Especially you..." Astrid sneered out nearing him as he continued to back up. "Start talking." Astrid demanded angrily. Hiccup didn't know what to do, this was the girl he'd always had a crush on since he was old enough to like girls. She had blonde hair always tied back in a braid, blue eyes. She stood at the height of 5' 7" and wore brown boots, blue leggings, a spiked skirt, gray sleeveless shirt, and spiked shoulder armor. Her name was Astrid Hofferson and she had wanted the honor of killing her first dragon in the ring which was taken by Hiccup who didn't mean to win, he just wanted to survive training.
"I–I don't know...what you're...talking about." Hiccup said quickly.
"Are training with someone? It better not involve this..." Astrid scowled out grabbing one of the shoulder protectors on his harness. The sound of movement made her look around, if she saw Toothless he was done for.
"Ah...hahaha. Your right. Your right. Truth is...I've been making...outfits. So there you go...time everyone knew. Drag me back..." He said nervously trying to cut her off but she grabbed his wrist and twisted it forcing him to the ground. "Ow! Why would you do that!" He snapped. Astrid glared at him as she stepped on him making him wince.
"That's for the lies..." She grumbled at him, then dropped her ax handle on his stomach, it bounced back after he cringed in pain and she caught it, "And that's for everything else." She stated harshly. A snarl like growl was heard which got her attention.
"Oh man..." Hiccup said in fear. Toothless sat up and saw Astrid over Hiccup, he roared and growled angrily charging towards her.
"Get down!" Astrid's eyes widened quickly as she pushed Hiccup down to the ground then raised her ax when Toothless jumped to pounce on her. "Run! Run!" Astrid said. Hiccup got up and pushed her down so she couldn't attack him then slid her ax away from her and stood up with his hands to Toothless.
"No! No...its okay...its okay. She's a friend..." Hiccup said while Astrid rolled on to her back to watch, Hiccup was calming it down. Calming down a Night Fury! Toothless settled down but still kept snarling at Astrid while she got up but he didn't move from behind Hiccup's form as Hiccup faced Astrid. "You just scared him..." Hiccup said softly.
"I scared HIM!?" Astrid exclaimed. Toothless growled at her as she flinched a bit. "Who is him..." She asked.
"Uh...Astrid, Toothless. Toothless...Astrid..." Hiccup introduced nervously. Toothless snarled at her again, Astrid's eyes widened then she backed up and ran off towards the village. Hiccup knew what she was going to do, she was going to tell his father he was harboring a dragon on the island. "Da da da...we're dead..." Hiccup said sarcastically. Toothless crooned annoyed with it all and walked off. "Woah woah woah...where do you think you're going?" Hiccup asked him. This was bad, he had to hide Toothless. Where the hell do you hide a Night Fury on an island this small?
(The Village)
It took Astrid a total of 20 minutes to run back in to the village, she was panting heavily as she reached the hall where everyone was preparing to eat lunch, she raced through the double doors. "STOICK!" Astrid yelled out. Stoick stood now seeing how in fear she looked.
"What is it, Astrid?" Stoick asked walking up to her.
"Its Hiccup!" Astrid panted trying to catch her breath.
"What happened to my boy?" Stoick asked in fear.
"No no...you don't understand. Its what he did! He's harboring a dragon on the island!" Astrid exclaimed. People gasped turning to listen now, that was a serious accusation for her to make about Hiccup especially because he was the chief's son and the chief was Stoick.
"Astrid, what are you going on about! You can't hide a dragon on the island. I think we'd notice something like that." Gobber jumped in now.
"Would I of come running in here yelling and panting if I was lying! Hiccup is hiding a Night Fury in the cove off Raven Point! I just saw it!" Astrid yelled angrily now. How could they not believe her? She saw it with her own eyes.
"Alright everyone settle down. Astrid...Hiccup won the honor of killing his first dragon in the ring, why would he hide a dragon...a night fury in the cove? Have you forgotten that Night Furies are the unholy offspring of Lightening and Death itself. Even if Hiccup caught one, it'd never let him live." Stoick said firmly.
"I think she's just jealous because she didn't win." Ruffnut said with a chuckle.
"I'm not lying! I followed him there after the competition! I wanted to know how he got so good. He told me he was making outfits but after I called him a liar, a Night Fury jumped out and tried to attack me. Hiccup tossed my ax away and then calmed the dragon down. It snarled at me but never attacked. Hiccup even gave it a name! I swear it, Stoick!" Astrid said quickly. "If you don't believe me, check the cove yourself! The dragon...it was missing a tail fin!" Astrid stated.
"Gobber, Spitelout. Lets go. Astrid, lead the way." Stoick sighed out. Astrid nodded as she smirked, Hiccup would be in so much trouble for this. She led them back to the cove.
(The Cove)
Hiccup had just returned from hiding Toothless in one of the underground tunnels near the beach area. Hiccup spent a lot of time in the cove and woods, he knew the shortcuts well and made it back before Astrid did with his father inevitably. Hiccup sat there working on a few things, he was glad he packed some tools and clothes. He was working on some armor for himself that way when Astrid came, he could say he was working on clothes like he'd told her he was. While waiting for the inevitable encounter, he thought about everything since meeting Toothless.
His full name was Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, he was the only son of Stoick the Vast Haddock who happened to be chief of the Hooligan tribe to Berk. Hiccup growing up was nothing but an embarrassment, a disappointment. He couldn't do anything right and his father was anything but proud of him. He was constantly abused and picked on by the village and the other teens but no one helped him. The only one in the village who seemed to care was Gobber his mentor. Hiccup had been under his apprenticeship for years. He could make weapons, fix them, and sharpen them. He loved making inventions but the ones that failed often caused destruction.
Hiccup was 15 now and during a raid one night by dragons, Hiccup had shot down a Night Fury, Toothless specifically. Hiccup tried to tell everyone but they didn't listen. Hiccup tracked it down in the woods near the cove, he said he was going to kill it and bring its heart to his dad and maybe finally get accepted. However when the moment came to deliver the blow, Hiccup couldn't do it. He saw fear in the Night Fury's eyes, it had never felt so wrong to him. He wouldn't do it. Hiccup set it free but it pounced him. Hiccup thought for sure he was going to die but in a turn of events, the Night Fury roared and let him go.
That same night Stoick told Hiccup he was being put in dragon training which Hiccup didn't want anymore but was forced. His first day in training was awful having almost been killed by a Gronckle. Gobber made a comment about dragons always going for the kill and that made Hiccup wonder why the Night Fury didn't kill him. Hiccup went searching again and this time he found it in the cove. It's left tail fin was missing, that was Hiccup's fault. It was torn off in the hard landing when Hiccup shot him down. Hiccup realized he couldn't fly away, ever.
The second day was against a Deadly Nadder, Hiccup was asking question about the Night Fury to Gobber. Astrid tackled him down trying to get away from the Nadder, and told him after class to figure out what side he was on. Well that was obvious now wasn't it? Hiccup remembered that Gobber said a downed dragon was a dead dragon, Hiccup knew what he had to do. He had to help the Night Fury. Hiccup made him a tail, it took a few tries but he perfected a tail and it took him riding Toothless to control it.
Hiccup chuckled, he remembered during the flying practice he learned dragons hated eels which Hiccup used against a Hideous Zippleback which started his popularity in the village. He got a dragon to back down by pushing it back in to its cage, it was only afraid because he had an eel hidden in his vest. Next trick was a specific grass that made dragons instantly calm down, a sort of daze they'd fall in. Hiccup used that against a Gronckle to make it collapse happily. Hiccup learned also that dragons have a pressure point under their chins that made them paralyze with content, then relax. Finally he learned they love chasing glimmers on the ground which he used with a Terrible Terror.
All these things made Hiccup popular in the village. Gobber explained these things to Stoick who thought Hiccup had been lying all the past years about being useless just to get his chance. Hiccup was lying alright, he was no dragon killer but when he saw how proud his father was of him he couldn't tell him the truth. That next day was the match between Astrid and him to see who would win the honor to kill their first dragon. Hiccup wanted Astrid to win, but it didn't happen that way. Hiccup was chosen after subduing a Gronckle. This is when Hiccup made his choice to leave Berk with Toothless and when Astrid found out the truth.
Hiccup smiled thinking on the bond he and Toothless had. It had been so strange. Hiccup was curious when he first found Toothless in the cove, and come to find out the dragon was just as curious about him. It happened so fast too that day. Hiccup went to the cove with a fish for him seeing he had trouble the day before catching one on his own. The Night Fury had to teeth at first, then when it grabbed the fish from him the teeth came out. This is how he got his name, Toothless.
Hiccup remembered Toothless spitting half the fish back up in to Hiccup's lap and Toothless wanting him to eat it which he did and almost threw it back up but held it down. From there it turned into Hiccup trying to touch his tail which Toothless didn't like. Then Toothless watching him draw in the dirt, Toothless copied him in his own way. Then...Hiccup and him bonded when Hiccup trusted him, he held out his palm to Toothless with his head turned and eyes closed. Toothless pressed his nose to Hiccup's palm and that was it. Their bond, as friends. After that is when Hiccup began working on the tail. And now flying together they were best friends.
"There he is! See, I told you he was here!" Astrid yelled pointing at him, Hiccup raised his head and saw Gobber, Spitelout, his father, and Astrid there.
"Hiccup, what are you doing out here alone?" Stoick asked.
"Just working on some armor dad...I'm okay, I'll be home by dark." Hiccup replied calmly. Astrid picked up her ax and was looking around at everything.
"Where is it! I know he's here!" Astrid snapped at Hiccup.
"Who?..." Hiccup asked acting confused now.
"Don't play dumb with me! Where's the dragon!" Astrid yelled.
"Uh Astrid? Vikings are at war with Dragons. And the raids only happen at night...Did you hit your head?" Hiccup chuckled a bit.
"Astrid here says you're harboring a Night Fury in this cove, we told her you weren't but insisted we check." Stoick sighed.
"A Night Fury? The most elusive and deadly dragon known to man? The dragon no one has ever gotten close to and lived? The same dragon who never misses its target? The one that the book says not to engage, just hide and pray it doesn't find you? That Night Fury?" Hiccup asked getting up now.
"That would be the one." Gobber stated. Hiccup just laughed out.
"That's a good one Astrid. If there was a Night Fury here, I wouldn't be alive." Hiccup calmed down his laughter.
"Then why are you out here. Don't you have a big final exam to prepare for tomorrow..." Astrid grumbled. She knew it was there, somewhere. Hiccup was hiding it and she'd catch him. She had to keep her eye on him.
"I came here to think. Big test tomorrow, wanted to have a clear head without the village swarming me. Didn't mean to worry anyone." Hiccup stated in a relaxed tone.
"Aye...It's alright son. Why not pack up and come back? I'll make sure no one bothers you." Stoick smiled patting his back.
"Sure thing dad. Go on ahead, I'll catch up. Lot of stuff to put away." Hiccup said motioning to the things scattered around the cove. Stoick nodded and led them all out. As soon as they were out of sight and ear shot, Hiccup took his short cut to the beach, it only took him 15 minutes. Got Toothless and brought him back to the cove. "Alright bud...stay here. I'll see you tomorrow..." Hiccup told him, Toothless warbled and laid down near the cave as Hiccup packed up his things and left the cove heading back to the village. The rest of his day was spent in the forge or his dad's house. He went to bed with a plan, he was going to try and get people to see what he did. That Dragon's weren't dangerous just misunderstood. It could go well or completely backfire. Hiccup prayed for the first but had his suspicions that it'd end up being the second. He fell asleep not long after. Tomorrow was going to suck.
(The Kill Ring)
It had come finally. His father stood above the ring cage, praising how proud he was of him. Hiccup only stood there holding his helmet waiting for his moment to get in the ring. He'd be against a Monstrous Nightmare, it was the only dragon they hadn't fought in training. Hiccup was nervous, who wouldn't be. Finally his father sat down as Gobber told Hiccup it was time. Hiccup sighed walking in to the ring, it bothered him to be hearing everyone chanting his name like he was some hero. Hiccup put on his helmet, grabbed a shield and dagger from the rack and made his way to the center of the ring. It fell quiet at the lever was pulled and the Nightmare emerged angrily and engulfed in flames.
Hiccup's eyes widened a bit as it noticed him and made its way down before Hiccup who took a deep breath. Hiccup backed up slowly dropping the shield and dagger. "What is he doing?" Stoick asked in shock, there were gasps from others lining the outside of the ring. Hiccup put his hands up to the nightmare showing he meant it no harm.
"Hey hey...Its okay...Its okay." Hiccup told it softly, it growled lowly at him as Hiccup knew it was time. He slowly brought his hands to his helmet and took it off looking at his father, then at the nightmare before throwing it off to the side. More gasps. "I'm not one of them." Hiccup said firmly.
"Stop the fight." His father ordered.
"No. I need you all to see this." Hiccup said in a serious tone with his hand palm facing the nightmare's nose. "They aren't what we think they are...we don't have to kill them." Hiccup said softer as the nightmare sniffed his hand, becoming calmer. Stoick stood angrily and slammed his hammer down on the metal cage.
"I SAID STOP THE FIGHT!" The nightmare snarled and tried to snap at Hiccup's hand from being startled. Hiccup pulled his hand back quickly yelling out as the nightmare fired a blast at him. Hiccup ran to avoid it. Stoick pushed past people, "Out of my way." He ordered making his way to the cage entrance and ushering Hiccup to towards the exit. Hiccup tried to reach it but the nightmare fired again making Hiccup have to run the opposite direction. It finally pinned him to the ground angrily as no one moved. The whistling sound of a Night Fury was heard close by, everyone looked hearing its roar as it jumped over the crowd,
"NIGHT FURY!" Someone called out as Toothless blasted through the metal cage and dove in to the ring. There was nothing but smoke and no one knew what was going on.